Twitter's Massive Security Flaw

by Colonel Boyle | August 26, 2009 at 07:34 am
263 views | 46 Recommendations | 2 comments

Photos

T is for Twitter

T is for Twitter

see larger image

uploaded by CynicalPatriot

UK Search Engine specialist Dave Naylor uncovered a flaw on Monday that showed how Twitter accounts could be hijacked with a simple scripting technique that could lead to users personal details being hijacked or accounts used for any number of nefarious purposes.

Nearly 48 hours later, the vulnerability still exists - despite Twitter's claims to have fixed the problem. As the finder of the flaw pointed out:

With a few minutes work, someone with a bit of technical expertise could make a Twitter ‘application’ and start sending tweets with it. Using the simple instructions below, it can be arranged so that if another Twitter user so much as sees one of these tweets - and they are logged in to Twitter - their account could be taken over.

Coming on the heels of other documented problems with the site, this has to raise questions about the viability of Twitter as a platform - and about the care with which the company treats its userbase.

With millions of users still using the site, unaware of the flaws that could lead to their accounts being used for and no official word from the company as yet, this could run and run...

Advertisement
recommend Sign In or Join to post comments
0
Barbara McPherson

This sounds serious. 

1
Colonel Boyle

I'd stay off Twitter for the moment if I were you...

What is NowPublic?

NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.

Find out more

Crowd Power

Barbara McPherson
First Flagged at 7:37 AM, Aug 26, 2009 by Barbara McPherson
These members have powered this story:

Related Stories

Recommendations (46)

Most recently recommended by:
 

closeSign in to NowPublic

is reporting from